Horry County school board gets a new member after Tuesday's election

Helen Smith, a former board member, defeated long-time incumbent Pam Timms in Tuesday night's Socastee-based District 6 Republican primary. There is no Democratic challenger in November.

"I’m very humbled with the way the voting went tonight," Smith said. "I think the voters decided they wanted the change that I was asking for in the school board. Pam served the district in the school board for a long time and served well. I think everybody was ready for changes."

Timms conceded the race to Helen Smith Tuesday night after her supporters and Smith's supporters reported back numbers from the voting precincts in the district showing that Smith won.

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"Congratulations to Ms. Smith," Timms said. "I ran a fair, truthful and honest campaign and I wish her the best in serving the people of District 6. It’s all good, it’s okay."

Timms had served on the school board since 1998, is an Horry County native and attended Myrtle Beach High School.

Most recently, she helped the district acquire the the former Socastee Middle School land for future expansions at Socastee High School. She also voted in favor of the new energy positive schools and the school board pay raise.

Helen Smith was a school board member from from the late 1980s to early 90s and school board chairman from 1996 through 2002.

She said campaigned against the cost of district's energy-positive schools, the board's vote to give themselves a pay raise and the removal of police from schools in Horry County.